Chapter 12

“The road to recovery is a long one when you have broken bones…”

 

An enthusiastic Lisanna sat up in the bed, and leaned in towards the doctor. “But!?”

 

The doctor shook his head and he removed the cast. “But not in your case. You are herby discharged from your-“ he added emphasis. “-Week and a half stay.” Kids these day… What are they made of? The doctor left the room.

 

The open door revealed a boy standing just outside.

 

Lisanna gave Hiro a V for victory hand sign. “I told you the extra calcium would get me out of here faster!

 

He deadpanned. “No amount of calcium can explain this.”

 

“Maybe hanging around with you gave me some of your freakishly fast healing abilities.”

 

He walked over to the bedside. “You know, I didn’t always heal like this. It’s new to me too.”

 

Lisanna’s face lit up. “Wait, does that mean you awakened?! You have some sort of healing ability?!”

 

Hiro looked down at the ground. “I have no such ability.”

 

“But what if you do, and you just don’t know it?! It could be a passive ability!”

 

 “I don’t have that power… “ His voice grew louder. “I will never have that power!” His mind was flooded with the images. The bodies. The blood. The pain. His voice exploded “I can’t have that power!! Never!!!”

           

            Lisanna withdrew a little. “Hiro?... Are you-“

 

            He caught himself. “I’m sorry. I lost myself there.”

 

            “Your pale.”

 

            Hiro’s eyes grew shiny with unspilled tears. “I was just remembering things better left forgotten.”

 

            Lisanna’s voice became gentle and soft as she grabbed at the sleeve of his shirt and shyly spoke. “You know… you can talk to me about it if it helps.”

           

            Hiro’s smiled sadly. “Thank you, but this is one of my fights.” He looked down at his hands. His hands were covered in their blood. “I need to face this myself.”

 

            Her shoulders slumped, and she directed her gaze downward as she grabbed at the bed sheets. “You always act so reserved, and you keep this hidden pain inside you. But that night in the forest, I could see the tears in your eyes. It was as if you very soul was crying out for help. It seemed like it was too much for you to bear alone. “

 

            Hiro’s eyes welled up even more, but the tears did not fall. His face was filled with emotion, but he said nothing.

 

            “But you don’t have to be alone. You have me now. Why won’t you let me help you? Her own voice grew louder. “Please let me help you! Aren’t we friends?!”

 

Her body warmed as she was caught in an embrace. Strong arms held her close. His tears finally spilled over and wetted her hospital gown.

 

            His voice was shaky with emotion. “Do you really consider me a friend?”

 

            Lisanna recovered from her shock, and with a quickened heartbeat, wrapped her arms around him. Her voice was soft and comforting. “Dummy. Did you really need me to say that to know it? Haven’t we been friends all along?”

 

            He held her closer as his tears kept coming. “I didn’t want to assume anything. I’ve always been alone. Whenever I tried to get close to someone, I was always reminded of our cruel reality. This world is filled with people who are already dead inside their hearts. They discard everything that makes us human so they can pursue their false ideals. I could never be a part of that, so I’ve never had anyone. Until I meet you. You were different from anyone I had ever seen before. I could see your heart in your smile. I could hear your passion in your words. I could see the determination in your eyes. It made me want to know you. I wanted to be friends with you. You were the first person I could ever talk to.”

 

            An announcement came over the PA system regarding visiting hours. Not that it mattered since Lisanna had been discharged, though they would still need to leave the hospital soon.

 

            Hiro waited for the distraction to end, and then reluctantly pulled back from their embrace. He took a deep breath. “Last night you said you didn’t know what my relationship with Kamishi was. The truth is, I have known him since long before he became our leader. I was an apprentice of sorts under him from the time I was six until I was thirteen.”

 

            Lisanna backed up and looked into his face as if to check if he was just joking with her. But his face was completely serious.

 

            “During my last year with him, we traveled across the country constantly. Then one day we arrived at our nations capitol, and he ordered me to wait for him while he went in.” Hiro looked up at the ceiling while he recollected the events. “A few hours later, guards came and captured me. I thought my life was over at that point. I believed that Kamishi had been caught, and that he had given me up. So when they brought me to the palace, I thought I was about to be tortured to death by Sensoken himself.”

 

            Lisanna was at the edge of the hospital bed, she didn’t notice the screeching wheels in the halls, the chemical sent in the air, or the complaints of the old man in the next room. She was consumed in the tale.

 

            “However, when I got there, Kamishi was the one on the throne. He looked down at me and smiled, saying, ‘Behold your new leader.’ I had no idea how he beat Sensoken.” Hiro shook his head. “He was always a lot stronger than me, but I had no idea how strong he truly was… Then a week later, he started the battle schools again…That’s when he decided to leave me.”

 

            Lisanna could hear the hidden pain in his voice, and she wanted to hug him again. But she held back, and allowed him to finish.

 

            “He took me to one of the new schools, and left me there. The last thing he told me was that I needed to get strong so I could repay my debt to him.” Hiro made a fist so hard that his knuckles turned white. “I had spent most of my life with him, but he was never a parent to me! His words showed me that I was nothing to him! I was just a means to an end, and I have no idea what that end is. All he ever did was train me. He never cared about anything but that. And then he goes and leaves me alone after all our time together.” If he squeezed any harder, he would draw his own blood. “And what does he say? I owe him a debt?! What kind of person does that?!”

 

Lisanna’s eyes were wide from the shocking revelations. “What debt do you owe him? For training you?”

 

Hiro clutched his chest and looked down. “I’m sorry, but that’s just something I can’t talk about yet.” He went into the kitchen and his head started spinning. An unfamiliar voice mixed with his parents in the dinning room. Then his body was overcome with pain. The walls splintered around him. His mother screamed from the other room. His mind swirled in confusion. He was standing over his mother’s body. Blood dripped from his hands as he cried out her name.  ”I have this uncertainty in my heart that I need to deal with before I can even begin to talk about that.”

 

            Hiro had opened up more with more than Lisanna had ever expected. She did not pry further; instead she pursued a different path. “What was Kamishi like before he came to power? You know, outside of raising you.”

 

            Hiro’s reply was blunt. “Cold. Powerful. Intimidating.”

 

            Her palm caressed her chin. “I can understand the powerful and intimidating, but he’s so charismatic now.”

 

            “Remember how Kazuto left me alone in the forest that night when I mentioned ‘Him’?” She nodded. “The first time I ever meet Kazuto was when Kamishi took me to the same school he was in. He instantly hated me, and tried to start a fight with me. Kamishi stopped him with just a look. There was no compassion in his eyes. They were as cold as a killer’s. His eyes ingrained a fear into Kazuto that never left him.”

 

            Lisanna was bewildered. “What kind of power does he have?”

 

            “Like I said, even after seven years with him, I never learned of his strength.”

 

            The PA system kicked up again announcing the end of visiting hours.

 

            Hiro took hold of Lisanna’s arm and started to lead her out of the hospital. “We should go. Classes are already over for the day, and it’s getting late.”

 

            They made their way out of the hospital and back to the girls’ dorm. Their minds were wrapped in thought as they parted ways with a simple goodbye.

 

            The following morning, the whole school was gathered for an announcement. The ground in front of the building was torn up from the number of gatherings that had been occurring lately.

 

            It had been over a week, and the deaths of multiple students did not go unnoticed. Rumors were rampant, and even with limited information, the situation needed to be dealt with.

 

            Samakina was at the middle of the gathering, and he spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. “It has come to the schools attention that there is a danger to the student body in our midst. The lives of four of our students have already succumbed to this threat, and we cannot afford any others.”

 

            While the students already knew about the murders, many still gasped. Most of their faces were filled with either fear or some kind of apprehension. Feet shuffled nervously as Samakina continued.

 

            “By Kamishi’s orders, we are now under high alert. Classes will go on as usual. However, we have increased staff patrols as well as other security measures. Students will no longer be allowed to wander campus freely during non-school hours. You are also required to be with at least one other person at all times when you are outside of your dorms or the school building. This is for your own safety. The staff, myself included, will be pursuing any and all leads to deal with the issue at hand. Be sure to report any suspicious activity immediately. Anyone could be the next victim, so be careful. That is all.”

 

            Hiro was in the back of the crowd of students with Lisanna beside him. He clenched his fist. He didn’t even mention the other ten students without powers that were killed on the seniors’ trip! They have to know that they are related! They know it’s only students without powers being targeted! So why are they not warning those who really need to know?! Are they really trying to protect us?!

 

            A disturbance brought his attention back to where Samakina was. Kamishi had come beside him. Excitement replaced the crowds discomfort as their leader stood before them. He silenced them with a wave of the hand.

 

            His voice was full of passion and anger. “This is a serious matter we are dealing with now! I will not forgive the one responsible!” His whole body shook. “These schools are my treasures! I will not allow further harm to come to them! Count on me everyone! I will end this threat with my own hands!”

 

            Hiro shook his head. How can he sound so sincere about this? Is he not the one behind the attacks? No. He has to be-

 

            “This monster among us is targeting our most vulnerable students; those without powers. Everyone here has the potential to grow into a fine warrior, but this enemy is cutting our potential at its roots. We don’t know why they are attacking us, but we can only assume that they are trying to stand in the way of our great nation! Each of you is a valuable contribution to this proud country. We are counting on you to become warriors. So I will not let your lives be continually forfeited to some maniac. I will kill the one responsible for this!”

 

            They all cheered for their leader. His strength and character where unmatched. They stomped their feet as they cried his name over and over. The ground shook with their praises.

 

            Hiro’s eyes widened and focused on nothing as he cupped the side of his face in his hand. Are you really not the one responsible for this? What is going on?

 

            Lisanna had to lean over and speak into Hiro’s ear to voice what was on the boy’s mind. “Is it not him?”

 

            “I don’t know. He seemed so sincere that he has me questioning myself now.” Maybe that’s just what he was trying to accomplish.

 

            Lisanna put her hand on his shoulder. “For now, I think it’s best to take Samakina’s advice and just stick together.” He nodded in agreement.

 

            Samakina waited for the cheers to subside, and then gave a final announcement for the students to head into the school. The crowd began to disperse.

 

Lisanna grabbed Hiro’s hand and walked towards the school. “Looks like it’s class as usual. Let’s go Hiro.”

 

            The rest of the day passed without anyone showing a care about what had just been revealed. Kamishi’s words were more than enough to satisfy the students. But words are only just that. Words. They alone could not protect anyone. Halfway through the day, another body was found.

 

            The doctor finished examining the corpse outside the east wall of the school.  He turned to Samakina. “Hoshi. A freshman.”

 

            “Hoshi didn’t have a power either. D****t! What the hell is going on! I told everyone that they were not allowed to go off alone! It’s as if this b*****d is issuing us a direct challenge after that speech by killing this boy! Our students aren’t even safe in broad daylight!” He turned to a staff member beside him. “Get everyone back to their dorms, we are going into lockdown.”

 

            Samakina started to help the doctor get the body into a body bag when the doctor suddenly halted.

 

            “What’s wrong?”

 

            The doctor looked closer at the origin of the wound on the body; a hole in the chest cavity. The body around the hole was a mush that looked like it had burst out. “It’s his wound… Something is off.”

 

            “It looks just like the others. I saw them all too.”

 

            “No, this one is different. The others all seemed to decay in towards the wound. However, here it seems that the wound is blown out. With how mutilated the corpses all were, it is only a minor difference, but it is definitely different.”

 

            Only a doctor and a hardened war veteran would be able to look at such a gruesome sight and have a calm conversation about it.

 

            “Does that mean anything?”

 

            “Not right now. Let’s get him to the hospital.”

 

            The two men put the body in the bag, lifted it onto a stretcher, and carried it away. A pool of blood and gore remained behind as a remainder of what had happened. The crimson grass dripped in the evidence, as insects set about disposing of random chunks of remaining flesh.

 

            When Samakina returned to the school, he hardly made it through the front entrance before he found the building swarming with students.

 

He grabbed the closest person to him. “What the hell are you all still doing here?!?”

 

            The student was confused and filled with fear. “D-did I do something wrong?”

 

            “You were told to get back to your dorms! We are on lockdown!”

 

            “N-no one told us-“

 

            “Bullshit, I sent a staff member to-“

 

            A freshman from the crowd spoke in the boy’s defense. “Sir, he is telling the truth! No one told us anything about a lockdown!”

 

            He dropped the kid. D****t, what the hell is that man doing?!” He turned to everyone around him. “Well now you know, so get the hell back to your dorms! Now!!!”

 

            Samakina saw to it personally to evacuate the whole building. Room by room was emptied of the student body, and soon the school’s halls were devoid of even sound. However, he had not evacuated the junior class. They weren’t in the building.

 

            He checked his watch. S**t, they must have gone to the fighting rings.

 

            His instincts warned him something was wrong. Anxiety started to well up in him. He was nearly jogging as he rounded the southwest corner of the school and headed north to the fighting rings. Then he caught something out of the corner of his eye. There was an odd shape at the edge of the woods on his left, and he drew closer to the figure. It almost looked like... No! No, no, no, no, no! The corpse was unidentifiable, however it was clothed in a tattered robe; a male staff member robe.

 

            Samakina’s palms gathered sweat, and his body burned despite the blowing wind and overcast sky. The blood stained earth filled his mind as he sprinted to the battle rings. He didn’t have time to deal with the dead staff member.

 

            When he neared his destination, a lone man in a cloak blocked his path. Sky blue eyes pierced the darkness shrouding his face. Only the edges of his blond hair were visible.

 

            Samakina’s was confused. “Kamishi?”

 

            “It’s been a while Samakina. If you get in my way, you will need to die!”

 

            The voice is wrong. Samakina’s eyes narrowed. “Who are you?”

 

            The cloaked man charged forward. “Don’t waste your breath!”

 

            Stunned or not, Samakina was battle hardened, and his muscle memory kicked in. As the man’s hand touched his left arm, Samakina latched onto it, and flipped the man to the ground.

 

            Samakina screamed in pain. He looked at his left arm to find in horrible shape. From his elbow down, the skin was ripped open, and flesh was hanging out. The blood dropped like rain and watered the grass beneath him. “Fuuuuck!!!”

 

            The unknown man was back on his feet and lashed out at Samakina. The teacher deflected the blow with his injured arm and sent an elbow into his chin with the other. The man’s hood flung off his head under the impact.

 

            Samakina was in agony again. The already injured arm with was reduced to nothing but bone and lose flesh. “What the hell are you doing to me?! I’ll kill-” He looked at the exposed face of the man in front of him. “-You?”

 

            The man quickly realized his identity was in jeopardy. He put his palm to his face, and it instantly became nothing more than a bloody and unidentifiable visage. The grimace on the face of the man was all that proved he was still human.

 

            “Who the hell are you?!”

 

            “Die Samakina!” He rushed forward, arm extended.

 

            He is trying to touch me. My left arm is worthless after his hand touch it. Now he touches his face and it turns like that. Yet my right arm that I used to elbow him is fine… It’s his hands! I can’t let his hands touch me! He jumped to the side to avoid the charge. “You’re a fool! You just showed me how to beat you!” Samakina raised his hands, and the earth around him ruptured. The ground was broken into small particles that now swirled around him like a sandstorm. He stretched his good arm forward, and a pillar of earth shot forward and smashed into the face of the cloaked man.

 

            As soon as he hit the ground, another pillar drove down into his stomach.

 

            “I’m am the worst match someone with a power like yours. You have to get close to me to use it! You will not be able to touch me again!”

 

            The assailant brought himself to his feet in a drunken like stager. A smirk was evident on his ghoulish face. “Ahahaha!!!!” He charged again while continuing his maniacal laughter.

 

            Samakina pushed both his arms out, and a wall of broken earth surged forward. “You lose!”

 

            The attack smashed into the outstretched hand of the man, and in an instant the wall was blown apart. Chunks of earth flew every direction. The cloaked man continued his rush through the scattering debris.

 

            S**t! I didn’t think his power would work against my attacks too! Samakina’s body acted for him. He took a step forward and drove into him with a front kick to the chest. He succeeded in knocking his opponent back, but at the cost of his leg. Before Samakina could withdraw it, he touched it for a brief moment.

 

            Samakina collapsed to the ground. “D****t!!!! F**k!!!” He grabbed his leg. It was bleeding heavily, but the muscle was still mostly intact. He calmed himself and stood. This is more useful information. The longer he touches me, the more damage he causes.

 

            He was already on Samakina again. “Die!!!”

 

            “F**k you!” Samakina raised his hand and released a wave of energy. The area around them exploded into bits of dirt that rushed surround the hooded man. “Die yourself!” With a wave of his hand, massive spikes of earth began to pierce the sphere.

 

            An explosion of dust and earth erupted from the top of the dome, and the assailant jumped out.

 

            Samakina drew even more earth from the ground. Hundreds of pillars formed in the air and began raining down on the man before he even hit the ground. With blinding speed, he touched his palms to every pillar that came at him, and they were blown apart. The dust in the air made the shockwaves visible. When the downpour of earth ended, both fighters were panting hard. The bloodied face of the cloaked man could no longer betray any emotion. Samakina had his hands above his head, and his face was filled with pain and rage.

 

            Samakina took a deep breath and yelled. “It’s over!!!” He dropped his hands.

 

            The cloaked man looked down at a growing shadow on the ground. His grotesque face could not reveal his surprise when he discovered they were in the middle of a massive crater. “What the hell!?!”

 

            The shadow grew larger, and both men looked up. The sky above them no longer existed. It had been replaced with a ceiling of earth that dwarfed even the most monumental of structures. Direct daylight was blocked out as it came closer.

 

            Samakina did a small downward thrust with his hands and spoke calmly. “Fall.” The air pressure suddenly increased dramatically as the endless earth plummeted down far quicker than before.

 

            The cloaked man placed his hand on the remaining ground beneath him, and a massive dust storm kicked up.

 

            Samakina opened a hole in the earth above himself. Everything else was crushed in a deafening impact. The area around him split under the force. Nearby trees were reduced to splinters from the concussive wave. Trees that were farther away were uprooted and collapsed. It was as if the earth itself screamed from the apocalyptic destruction.

 

            When things settled, Samakina forced his way to where his target had been. He waved his hand, and the ground divided. However, there was no one there.

 

            Samakina collapsed and rolled onto his back wheezing. “D-d****t.”